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Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snow Queen' | oakleaf hydrangea


ARCHIVED PLANT. This page serves as reference only. We are no longer propagating this plant.


Oakleaf Hydrangea is an attractive deciduous shrub native to the American South. Bold, large, oak-shaped leaves give this hardy plant an almost tropical appearance. Leaves emerge light green in spring, darken to a deep green, then turn the most beautiful shade of deep red in fall. This shrub pleases through all the seasons: peeling cinnamon-colored bark nicely complements the dried flower panicles.

Flowers on old wood; prune just after flowering to maintain shape if desired.

'Snow Queen' is similar to the straight species, however it has stronger stems and a slightly more upright, rounded form. It is also more floriferous. Long panicles of mostly sterile white flowers appear in late spring and slowly fade to a beautiful pink as they age.

*Hardy to zone 5, but should be sited in a protected location or otherwise protected in the first few years as it becomes fully established. We sited ours behind a porch where it is safely protected from strong winter winds.

Distinctions: Winner of an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticulture Society; Great Plant Picks, Pennsylvania Horticulture Society Gold Medal

Zones: 5* to 9
Family: Hydrangeaceae
Type: Deciduous Shrub
Height: 4 to 6 ft.
Spread: 6 to 8 ft.
Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Conditions: Rich, moist but well-drained soil
Bloom Time: May to July
Bloom Color: White changing to pink
Native Range: southeastern US

Special Characteristics
  • Flowering
  • Outstanding fall color
  • Winter interest
  • Beautiful bark
image credits

Image 1 (flowers) Photo by David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Image 2 (leaves) Plant Image Library from Boston, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Image 3 (pink blooms) Plant Image Library from Boston, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Image 4 (fall color) Ali McEnhill at The Old Dairy, Rhinebeck, NY 

Hydrangea quercifolia &
Hydrangea quercifolia &
Hydrangea quercifolia &
Hydrangea quercifolia &
Hydrangea quercifolia &
garden location coming soongarden location coming soon

view this plant in our gardens:

House: Shade Garden | 2023

seedling image

Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snow Queen' | oakleaf hydrangea

We are slowly creating a seedling image library to help make weeding easier.
garden location coming soongarden location coming soon